Can opener and spout



Jan. 29, 1957 J. R. HAYES CAN OPENER AND SPOUT Filed Nov. 8, 1951 CAN OPENER AND SPOUT Jerry R. Hayes, Lombard, Ill. Application November S, `1951, Serial No. 255,463 1o claims.` (c1. zzz-sas) This invention relates to devices for puncturing` holes in cans of condensed and evaporated milk and other liquid-containing cans.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device which may be readily slipped onto a can and manually operated to puncture a plurality of holes therein, the puncturing mechanism being retractable, and to also provide a spout for discharging the contents of the can.

Another object involves the provision of a device which may be readily slipped onto the top of a can and will retain itself in position thereon, together with mechanism for readily puncturing the can and for retracting the puncturing means without necessitating removal of the device from the can.

A further object is to provide a handy device for puncturing a can, enabling the contents of the can to be poured, and for thereafter sealing the can as a sanitary measure with respect to the unpoured contents.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view showing a can with one form of device of the invention'tted thereon, at the completion of the can-puncturing operation, which is also the arrangement when the holes in the can are sealed by the device when the can is stored for future use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device seen in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a left side elevational view of the device seen in Fig. l. i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 6-6 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 7--7 in Fig. 6. i

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. `6 but shows the arrangement of the device preparatory to the can-puncturing operation.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with the puncturing means retracted and the can tipped to permit discharge of liquid from the can.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown at lll a can having a top 12 over which a device in accordance with one form of my invention, indicated generally at 14, has been placed. The device 14 comprises a body 16 having a bottom skirt 1S split at suitable intervals as shown at 20 to render the same re silient, whereby the skirt may snugly embrace the pe- .l nited States Patent "l ripheral bead 22 depending from the can top 12 and thus l hold itself in assembly with the can 10. The body 16 has an inside downwardly facing ledge 24 adapted to seat on the rim 26 of the can top 12.

The body 16 is bored upwardly from Ithe ledge 24 2,779,504 Patented. Jari. 29,

`32 have reduced polygonal passages 358 in which reduced polygonal portions or stems 40 of the plungers 30 are slidable, the upper ends of the plungers being threaded as at 42 or otherwise securely fastened to preferably attopped knobs or heads 44. When the knobs 44 are pressed or punched downward by the hand orphands, the points 36 of the plungers 30 will penetrate and puncture the can top 12 to form holes therein as shown at 46 and 48.

The portion of the body 16 above the skirt 18 is preferably formed with a relatively narrow substantially diametrical boss 5d rabbeted at its ends as shown at 52 and having a central longitudinal slot54 in which two levers 56 are intermediately pivoted at 5S. The outer end of each lever 56 is forked as shown at 60, the arms ofthe forks slidably embracing the flat sides of the respective plunger stems 4d, said forks, when inactive, resting on the ledges 62 of the rabbets 52.

The mutually facing central portions of the lips` 64 defining the slot 54- are vertically slotted at 66 for the reception of the polygonal stem 68 of a central retractor plunger 70. Opposite sides of the retractor stem 6r; are milled out as shown at '72 for the loose reception ot the inner ends *74 of the levers 56, suflicient clearance being provided so that in etl'ect relative pivotal movement between the inner ends of the levers and the retractor `stern may occur with reciprocal movement of said stem in the slots 66.

When the puncturing plungers 30 have been depressed to puncture the holes 46 and 48 in the can top 12, as

Ashown in Fig. 5, there is considerable friction between the ruptured portions of the can top and the plunger points 36, and, of course, the points are urged into the positions shown in Fig. 5 by the compression springs 34. To permit the contents 76 of the can to be poured out, it is necessary to retract the puncturing plungers 30. This may be done by the user by pressing down on the preferably ila't topped head 78 ofthe releasing plunger 70 with his thumb while his hand holds the assembled can l0 and device ld, with the result that the levers 56 are rotated oppositely about their pivots 58 and thus their forked ends titl are raised into `engagement with the lower faces of the plunger knobs 44, overcoming ,the frictional and spring resistance and raising the plunger points 36 clear of the ruptured portions of the can top 12 defining the holes 46 and 48, as shown in Fig. 9. The lower portion of the body 16 adjacent the hole 46 is milled out as shown at Sti to provide a spout, and thus, when the can 10 is tipped asshown in Fig. 9, the liquid contents 76 will pour out through the hole 46 and the spout Sil. t When it is desired to store the can away for future use, the user merely releases pressure on the retractor 7u, whereupon the compression springs 34 expand to bring the various parts to the relation shown in Fig. 6, where it is noted that the plunger points 36 are seated snugly in the can top holes 46 and 48 and thus maintain the can and its contents in sanitary condition. When it is desired to throw away the can l0, the device 14 may be readily lifted oithe `can andiyis readyV for use on another can.

The various knobs or heads 44 and 7S are preferably removably threaded to the respective plunger stems 40 and 68, so that, upon removal of the heads, the plungers and springs may be completely disassembled from the body Vto permit the entire device to bewashed and cleaned.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention. Hence I do 'not wish to be restricted to the `speciiic form shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

l. A device f the class described, comprising a body having a resilient depending skirt for yieldably embracing the upper part of a cylindrical liquid-containing can of a size adapted vto be embraced by a persons hand, said body having an abutment to engage the top of the can, said body having a Vpair of Vspring-pressed sharp canpuncturing plungers urged by their springs into engagement with the 'top ofthe can, said plungers having heads disposed above said body and manually forcible to puncture the top of the can, and means limiting the degree of penetration of said plungers into the can, said device including retracting means operative by the hand holding the assembled can and ybody for withdrawing said plungers lfrom the can top, said body having a spout adjacent one of said plungers to discharge liquid from the can when the can is tipped in the direction to lowersaid spout while said plungers are held in withdrawn positions.

v2. A device of the class described, comprising a body having resilient portions adapted to embrace the upper outer part of a liquid-containing can adapted to be held in one hand, to releasably retain said body is assembly with the can, said body having a pair of spaced sharp pointed plungers manually forcible against the can top to penetrate the same and form spaced holes therein, and 'plunger-retracting means carried by said body and includ ing a member within convenient reach of the thumb of the hand holding the can for pushing movement by the thumb toward the can to withdraw said plungers, said `body having a spout adjacent one of said plungers to discharge liquid from the can when the punctured can is tipped in the direction to lower said spout while said plungers are withdrawn.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a body having means for holding the same in assembly with the upper part of a liquid-containing can, said body having a pair of spaced sharp pointed plungers manually forcible against the can top to penetrate the same and form spaced holes therein, manually operative retracting means carried by said body for withdrawing said plungers, said body having a spout open at all times, said spout being disposed adjacent one of said plungcrs to discharge liquid from the can when the can is tipped in the direction to lower said spout, while said plungers are withdrawn, and means operative pursuant to release of said retracting means for returning said plungers to positions closing the holes in the can.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a body having means for holding the same in assembly with the upper part of a liquio-containing can, plunger means carried by said body and having spaced sharp points for penetrating the can top and .forming spaced holes therein, lever means pivoted to said body `and movable relative to said plunger ieans and engageable with said plunger means and operative to retract said points free of the can, said body having a spout `adjacent one of said points for discharging liquid from the hole formed by said one point when the can is tipped in the direction to lower said spout and said points are retracted, and means operative upon release of said lever means for moving said points into hole-closing positions.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a body having means for assembling the same with a liquidcontaining can, said body having a pair of spaced canpuncturing members disposed adjacent the can when said body is assembled with `the can, said members being manually movable to puncture the can, iever means operatively connected with 'said members for retracting said members clear of the holes produced Ithereby in the can, said body having a spout below the top thereof and immediately adjacent one of said members so that liquid may flow directly from t-he hole produced by said one member to said spout, and means operative upon release of said lever means for moving said points into positions closing said holes.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a body having a depending Vresilient skirt -for surrounding the upper part of a cylindrical liquid-containing can and releasably holding said body in assembly with the can, said body having an labutment to engage the top of the can, said body having a -diametrically opposite pair of springpressed sharp-pointed can-puncturing plungers urged by their springs into engagement with 'the top of the can, said plungers having heads disposed above said body and engageable by hand to manually force lsaid plungers to puncture the top of the can, said body having a diametrical slot extending between said plungers, a pair of levers `disposed in said slot and pivoted to said body, the outer ends of said levers being disposed between said body and 'the heads of `said plungers, said heads, when said can-puncturing plungers are fully depressed, being disposed adjacent the outer ends of said levers, -manually operable means for rotating said levers to move the outer ends of said levers upward and `thereby retract said plungers from the can, said body having a passage adjacent one of said plungers and communicating with the `hole produced by thatplunger when said plungers are retracted, to serve as a spout 'for pouring the liquid issuing from that hole when the can 'is tipped in la direction to lower said spout, said springs being operative, upon release of said means, to move said plungers into positions closing said holes. v

'7. A device of the class described, comprising a body having a peripheral ldt-:pending skirt adapted to embrace the upper end Iof a liquid-containing can, said body having a pair of spaced sharp-pointed plungers `adapted to be forced against the can top to penetrate the same and form a pair `ot` spaced holes therein, a 'third plunger carried by said body, a pair of levers pivoted to said body, `one end of each lever being loosely pivoted to said Ithird plunger, the other end of each lever having a lost-motion connection with each of said pair of plungers, said third plunger being operative to turn said levers and thereby retract said pair of plungers free of the holes in the can top, said body having a spout adjacent one plunger of said pair of plungers for discharging lthe contents of the lower hole when the can is tipped in Va direction to lower said spout, and means operative upon release of said third plunger for moving said pair of plungers into positions closing the holes.

8. A device of the class described, comprising a body adapted to be removably mounted on lthe upper part of a liquidmontainingcan, said body having a pair of plungers having stems with caintop punc'turing points at one `end of each, springs ldisposed between said body and said points and biasing said .points against the can top, heads on the other ends of said stems and disposed outside of said body and adapted to be forced by hand to cause said points to puncture holes in 'the can top, a third plunger carried by said 'bo-dy and including a stem, a head on the latter stem and disposed `outside of said body, and means operatively 4connecting the third stem to the hrst two stems so that movement -of the third plunger in one direction will result in retraction of the first two plungers, said body having a spout adjacent one of the first two plungers to ldischarge liquid from onel of the punctured holes in the can top when the iirst two plungers are retracted, all of said heads being removable from the respective stems to enable the plungers and springs to be disassembled from said body so 'that the various parts of the device may be easily washed and cleaned and re-assembled.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a body having means for holding the same in assembly with Ithe upper part of a liquid-containing can, said body having a pair of spaced sharp pointed plungers manually forcible against the ycan top to puncture holes therein, manually operative retracting means carried by said body for with drawing said plungers, said means being operative by the same hand which holds the can, said body having a spout below the top thereof and immediately adjacent one of said plungers so that liquid may ow directly from the l hole produced by said one plunger to said spout when the can is tipped in the direction to lower said spout, while said plungers are withdrawn, and means operative pursuant to release of said retracting means for returning said plungers to positions in which they close the holes in the can.

10. A device yof the class described, comprising a body adapted to be removably mounted on the upper part of a liquid-containing can, said body having a pair of plungers having stems with can-top puncturing points on one end of each, springs disposed between said body and said points and biasing said points against the can top, heads on the other ends of said stems and disposed outside of said body and adapted to be forced by hand to cause said points to puncture holes in the can top, -a third plunger carried by the body and including a stem, a head on the latter stem and disposed outside of said body, and means operatively connecting the third stem to the first two stems so that movement of the third plunger in one direction will result in retraction of the irst two plungers, said body having a spout adjacent one of the first two plungers to discharge liquid from the hole produced by said one plunger when the irst two plungers are retracted.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,343,782 Kerr June 15, 1920 1,863,853 Jackson June 21, 1932 1,887,592 l Goodfellow Nov. 15, 1932 1,888,411 Schilling Nov. 22, 1932 1,923,779 Dye Aug. 22, 1933 2,040,615 Lyon May 12, 1936 2,344,343 Donner Mar. 14, 1944 2,537,899 La Dow Jan. 9, 1951 2,618,408

Taylor Nov. 18, 1952 

